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3rd Team v Cuffley Rugby Club - Home Friendly on 9 Apr 2011

Published on Tuesday, 12 April 2011

Hitchin 47 - Cuffley 22

On a glorious Saturday afternoon, the team assembled with no sign of an opposition or a referee. Both promptly arrived; the latter a stand in from Hitchin and the former arriving with 12 players in tow and somewhat late causing the kick off to be delayed 30 minutes.

The game on paper looking like it could be an easy ride, the result doesn’t reflect the flow of the game with a well drilled Cuffley pack working hard to make up for the 3 player deficit. The deficit was reduced by one player with Aiken Verschuur volunteering to play for the opposition in order to make the game better for both sides. He promptly assisted the Cuffley team with two tries!!

The game started quite evenly with Hitchin finding that Cuffley were having to work harder and were very effective at counter rucking, the Hitchin forwards had to make sure the backs had quick ball in order avoid any further turnovers (and in the words on scrum half Adam Howard "the forwards need to man up a bit more")

The days scoring was opened by full back Nick Marshall from a monstrous 5 yards out following a good run down the wing by Kieran Willoughby (Junior Willabooby). This 7 point lead was reduced following the Cuffley captain capitalising on a defensive error to score. The try ping pong continued with Jamie King scoring following a well worked backs move through Mike Wilkins and Dave King (the 3s always try and maintain an average of two kings in the team, any more and they would need to bring gold, frankincense and mur). J King was playing in his first for a number of months out through injury. Then followed another Cuffley try following a number of defensive breakdowns.

After this try was conceded Hitchin decided to take the game to the opposition and put a few phases together and break down the Cuffley defensive line. The line was constantly broken by young Callum Taylor who put in an awesome man of the match performance from start to finish and was at every break down first and tackled anyone who was within his vicinity. It was Callum who broke the defensive line and ran through a number of players before holding up the ball to give a switch pass to the rampaging Adam Howard who cut a brilliant line to cut through the remaining defender. Callum was also at the heart of a majority of the other tries scored.

The last try of the half was scored by Stevie Merritt who did his usual gassing the opposing winger on the outside and slid in to score (not sure sliding in was wise on a bone dry pitch but I am sure we can collect up the skin left on the pitch to create another Stevie Merritt (do we really want two of them?!)

During the first half Rob Corr (no relation to the pop group) came on as a replacement for the injured and slightly hungover Nick Cheggers Chegwin. He came on to play out of position but due to uncontested scrums this wasn’t really a problem as he could filter into the backs most of the time and the same is said for Sam Burton who came on at half time as a second row/winger.

The second half was a bit more one sided with Merritt and Marshall combining on numerous occasions to create space in the Cuffley defence to allow the forwards to continue the momentum in the play. Andy Lockley worked tirelessly continuously finding space to run as did Pumba Drury, Joff Lord and Chris Mills.

Between centre Mike Wilkins scoring through a well worked move down the 5 metre channel and Jamie King rounding off the scoring a small fracas ensued between the majority of the teams with the catalyst being a unnecessary stamp on the leg of Sam Underwood followed by a number of punches to his head.

The ref did not notice this incident but did ask the Cuffley prop to leave the pitch (no cards where given as it was a friendly and I’m not sure it was his birthday either) due to his part in the brawl.

A welcome back to Adam Howard who has been away travelling for a number of months and said it was good to be back but needs to eat properly as while he was away he had a bad diet..... but he looked skinnier than when he went away)

The final mention goes to Dave King who kicked 6 out of the 7 conversations with his new boots...I say new, they were borrowed from his dad and may be older than he is.



Team Chris Mills, Andy Lockley, Steve Ward, Nick Chirgwin, Barry Brown, Samuel Underwood, Joff Lord, James Drury, Adam Howard, David King, Steve Merritt, Michael Wilkins, Sam Burton, Kieren Willoughby, James King

Subs Aiken Verschuur, Callum Taylor, Rob Corr, Nick Marshall

Scores T: David King (2), Steve Merritt (2), Michael Wilkins (1), Nick Marshall (1), Adam Howard (1) C: David King (6)

Player(s) of Match 1. Callum Taylor League Tables

 

 

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Hitchin Rugby Limited, King George V Playing Fields, Old Hale Way, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 1XL England, Charity No. 1159772
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